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This article gives information about the Buddhist/Buddhism symbols or Buddhism/Buddhist religious symbol. Find more on Buddhist symbols.
Buddhist Symbols
 Buddhism
symbols signify the Buddhist culture and religion. Most of the Buddhist
symbols relate to the ancient period and are found in Hinduism also.
These symbols of Buddhism impart subtle messages in life. They teach you
how to live selflessly and have a contended life. In the following
lines, we have provided information about the major Buddhist symbols...
Symbols for the Buddha
Lord Buddha was not very comfortable with accepting images of himself.
This is because He never wanted to be respected as a person, but be
known for His principles and His teachings. Still, the following symbols
of Buddhism are used to signify Lord Buddha.
- Eight Spoked Wheel
- The Bodhi Tree
- Buddha's Footprints
- An Empty Throne
- A Begging Bowl
- A Lion
The Three Jewels or Triple Gems
The Three Jewels or Triple Gems of Buddhism are the Buddha, the Dharma
(his teachings) and the Sangha (monks and nuns). All of them make the
base of Buddhism and without either of the three the religion wouldn't
have been possible.
The Deer
The Deer is symbolic of Dharmachakra Parivartan, the first teaching of
Lord Buddha in the Deer Park of Sarnath. As per the Tibetan tradition, a
monastery having the Kangyur and Tengyur collections of texts has to
have this symbol on both sides of the Dharma-wheel on the roof.
Stupas
The enlightened mind of Buddha is reflected through the stupas.
Symbolically, stupas represent the following five elements:
- Earth - Represented by the square base of the stupa
- Water - Represented by the round dome of the stupa
- Fire - Represented by the cone-shape of the stupa
- Air - Represented by the canopy of the stupa
- Space - Represented by the volume of the stupa
Offerings
There are eight offerings in Buddhism, those of water (to cleanse the
mouth or face), water to wash the feet, flowers, incense, light,
perfume, food and musical instruments. They are believed to educate
people against greed and attachment.
The Seven Jewels of Royal Power
The Seven Jewels of Royal Power characterize different qualities of a
king, which he must have for staying in power. They collectively
symbolize the secular power and can be offered, symbolically, to the
Buddha.
The Eight Auspicious Symbols
The Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism, or the Ashtamangala, are
related to the physical form of the Buddha. They include.
- A Conch Shell
- A Lotus
- A Wheel
- A Parasol (Umbrella)
- An Endless Knot
- A Pair of Golden Fishes
- A Banner Proclaiming Victory
- A Treasure Vase
The Buddhist Flag
Colonel Henry Steele Olcott, an American journalist, developed the
Buddhist Flag in 1880. The five colors of the flag represent the colors
of the aura that radiated from Buddha, at the time of His Enlightenment.
The colors are:
Blue: Loving kindness, peace and universal compassion
Yellow: The Middle Path - avoiding extremes, emptiness
Red: Blessings of practice - achievement, wisdom, virtue,
fortune and dignity
White: Purity of Dharma - it leads to liberation, outside of
time or space
Saffron: The Buddha's Teaching - wisdom
The Swastika
The Buddhist symbol of swastika signifies the feet or footprints of the
Buddha and is often used at the beginning of texts.
Mountains
Buddhist symbolism consists of the following two key mountains.
Vulture Peak
Situated in northern India, it is the place where Lord Buddha delivered
a number of sermons.
Mount Meru
It belongs to the Buddhist cosmology and is considered the mythological
center of the Buddhist universe. It is also the link between hell and
heaven.
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